Combined timer and selector switch mechanism



p 1947- w. F. OLIVER 2,427,300

COMBINED TIMER AND SELECTOR SWITCH MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WALLAE F. OLIVER AT TOENEYS COMBINED TIMER AND SELECTOR SWITCH MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 25, 1942 4 SheetsSheet 2 \\\\\\\\\i H MENTOR,

W LACE F. OLIVEE BX .fll/a ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1947.

COIBINED TIMER AND SELECTOR SWITCH MECHANISMS Filed Sept. 25, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 O INVENTOR. WAL ACE F OLIVE/E i1 30 AT TOBNEYS w. F. OLIVER 2,427,300

Sept. 9, 1947. w. F. OLIVER 2,427,300

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- WAL ACE OL/VEB B) AT 7'0 ENE Y8 Patented Sept. 9, 1947 COMBINED TIMER Al*ID SELECTOR. SWITCH BIECHANISM Wallace F. Oliver, South Bend, Ind., assignor to Bendix Home Appliances, Inc, South Bend, Ind., a corporation of Delaware Application September 25, 1942, Serial No. 459,668

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined timer and selector switch mechanism particularly adapted for control of the operation of automatic washing machines.

In accordance with prior practice it has been necessary to include two separate switches, one a timer and one separate switch which has been used for selecting a, water temperature corresponding to the character of the washing operation, for instance, lukewarm water for woolens or silks and a hotter wash water temperature for normal loads of cotton material. It has frequently happened that an operator having set the switch for cotton goods calling for extremely hot water may have neglected re-setting the selector switch to warm water position for the washing of woolens and the result may have been the ruining of material because of the use of excessively hot water.

The object of this invention is to provide a combined timer mechanism and selector switch mechanism which can be used to control an automatic washing machine and being so arranged that the selector switch will be automaticallyreturned-to a normal position at the end of each washing.

rotating either the selector switch shaft or the timer switch shaft.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line s-a of Fig. '1

illustrating a modification of my invention.

Fig. 10' is a view similar to Fig. 1 but including a wiring diagram and showing the parts in a position corresponding to a position B of the selector dial.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 10 but showing the parts in position and after' the selector dial has been moved to a position C.

Since the motormechanism for driving the timer shaft forms no part of the present invention it has not been herein illustrated in detail. It is preferably ofthe type which rotates the timer shaft with a step by step quick motion, each movement being followedby a period of rest of t short duration, say one minute or less.- Several different mechanisms have been patented for accomplishingsuch a step .by step movement, one

such mechanism being illustrated in .Unite'd thereby eliminating the possibility of damage from failure to consider the resetting of theis returned to its off position at the end of each washing operation. In accordance with one modification the partsare all so coordinated that the only setting required by the operator to initiate the washing operation is the actuation of the selector switch.

States'Patent to Ray W. Scott and Andrew 0. McCollum, No. 2,187.,795 of January 23,1940.-

Referring tov Fig. 1. the timer motor and gear housing l0 contain motor and gear mechanism not shown for driving the shaft II in a clockwise direction when facing thcfleft end of. Fig.1;

Within the housing ill, but not illustrated in the In accordance with my present invention the selector switch may be operated to start the timer motor and if desired the main motor of the washing machine which may be connected with the timer and the selector switch will also automatically. be disconnected by the timer mechanism at the end of the timer cycle.

The two embodiments of my invention are il- 'lustrated in the accompanying drawings in drawing, is a ratchet mechanism which permitsthe shaft H to be rotated manually'in a clockwise direction but which prevents a manual counter-clockwiserotation of the shaft H. A plurality of cams [3,14, l5, l6 and l! of insulating material are mounted along the shaft H spaced from one another by bushings 20 and caused to rotate with the shaft H by mating flat surfaces 2i and 22 of the shaft and cams. contours of cams l3 and I5 are shown respectively in Figs. 3 and 4. The external contours of the cams l4, l6 and IT are notillustrated. though their functions will be explained hereafter as a part of the description of operation. A circulartimer dial :5 is mounted on the'lcft end of the shaft H and is provided with a pawl 26, Fig. 6.

tion, but to slip out of the depression in the shaft l I when the dial is rotated by handin a counter.-

The external clockwise direction, thus preventing strain being placed upon the ratchet mechanism which prevents the counter-clockwise rotation of shaft II.

A sleeve 30 surrounds and is Journaled upon a portion of shaft H and carries at its right end, Fig. 1, a cam 3| of insulating material formed generally similarly to cams l3, I4, l5, l6 and H. The actual contour of cam 3| is shown in Fig. 2. The sleeve 30 also carries a metal cam 33 illustrated in Figs. 1, 7 and 9 having three depressions 34 located at positions A, B and C for engagement with the end 35 of a plunger 36 spring pressed to the left, Fig. 1, by a spring 38 seated in a hollow portion of the plunger 36. The plunger 36 carries a contact blade 40,'Fig. 1, the function of which will be described later. As the plunger 36 moves to the left to position B on the cam 33 the blade 40 completes an electrical connection between springs 4| and 42 and as the plunger 36 moves into position on the cam 33 the blade 40 completes connection between the springs 42 and 44 and severs the connection between springs 4| and 42. A selector dial 46, Figs. 1 and 8, is fixed to the left end of the sleeve 30, Fig. 1, for manually rotating the sleeve 30 through an arc of substantially 60, its normal position being shown in Fig. 8. When the sleeve 36 is manually rotated in a counter-clockwise di. rection, the depressed portion of the cam 3|, Fig. 2, permits the contact spring 48 to move under its own spring tension for closing the circuit between contacts 49 and D. The contact 50 is electrically connected with the metallic bus bar 5| insulatedly mounted on the arm 53 which forms one bearing for the slidable Plunger 36. The sleeve 30 is provided with a plunger 56 pressed by spring 51 into a notch 58, Fig. 7, in the shaft I The resistance of the plunger 56 to dis lodgment from the notch 58 in shaft l .is greater than the resistance of the end 35 of the plunger 36 to dislodgment from the depressions 34 at the points A, B and C in the cam 33.

In accordance with the mfidification shown in Fig. 9 the shaft I is provided with an additional notch 59 similar to the notch 58 of Fig. '7. The resistance of the plunger 56 to dislodgment from thenotch 59 is greater than the resistance of the end 35 of plunger 36 to dislodgment from the depressions 34 in the cam 33. Therefore clockwise rotation of shaft I! when the plunger 56 is in either notch 58 or notch 59 will cause the sleeve 30 and its carried parts to rotate with. the shaft H.

The operation of my combined selector switch and timer can best be understood by considering its operation when connected to actuate an automatic washing machine circuit such as shown in Figures and 11. Such an operation is as follows.

The conductor 66 from the live side of a source of current marked Line is connected to the contact spring 46 normally disconnected from the bus bar 5| by open contacts 49 and 50.

The operator wishing to start the washing machine on its cycle rotates the selector dial 46, Fig. 8, in a counter-clockwise direction until the words mix or soak come within the hollow part of the pointer. This movement of the dial 46 rotates the cam 3| closing contacts 49 and 50 con nectin the live side of the current source to the bus bar 5|. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in Fig. 7 and the solid lines of Figs. 10 and 11 the main motor circuit remains open at contacts 63 and 64. So that in order that the circuit of the for the timer motor 66 and the main motor 65 der the pointer.

being through conductors 10 to the grounded side ll of the source of current.

Inasmuch as the selector dial has now been turned to the position marked mix or soak, the cam 33 has been moved to its C position and the plunger 36 has been moved to the left to a position in which the blade 40 completes connection between the springs 42 and 44 as shown in Fig. 11. The cam l3, Fig. 3, is so shaped that the contacts 45 and 41 are closed throughout the entire soak period. This brings about the completion of the circuit through the mix inlet valve solenoid 11 from bus bar 5| through the now closed contacts 45 and 41, conductor 16, float switch contacts 18 and I9 and conductor II to the grounded side of the source. The energize.- tion of solenoid 11 opens the mix water valve permits lukewarm water to enter the washing chamber of the washing machine. The water con tinues to flow into the washing chamber of the washing machine until the float switch contacts 18 and 19 are opened by the operation of a float not shown. The timer motor and the main motor continue to operate for agitating the clothes in the lukewarm soak water until the timer motor 66 has rotated the shaft and its associated cams through such an are that the first depression in cam I1 is passed and the associated contacts E3 and 64 are opened. As shown in Fig. 8, this requires a rotation of the shaft H and the dial 25 through substantially fifty degrees, the dial 25 now having been rotated in a clockwise direction until the second off position stands un- Just before the timer dial has arrived at its second oiT position the cam I5 will have arrived at a position in which a short de-- pression in its surface permits the closure of contacts 8| and 82 for closing a circuit from the bus bar 5| through conductor 83 and drain solenoid 84 to conductor H and the ground side of the current source. This opens the drain valve and causes the removal of water from the washing chamber of the machine.

When the operator of the washing machine considers that the wet clothes have soaked sunlciently long in the washing machine she rotates.

the timer dial 25 through a very short are in the clockwise direction causing a second depression in the cam IT to permit a second closing of the contacts 63 and 64 and a second starting of the main motor 65 and timer motor 66. It now the operator desires to wash delicate fabrics which require lukewarm water, she does not reset the selector switch but allows it to remain in the C or mix position. When the shaft II has been rotated in a clockwise direction either manually or by the now running timer motor to a position which brings the depression in cam l4 to the proper position for closing contacts 13 and 14, Fig. 11, current flows from the bus bar 5| through the spring 42, blade 40, spring 44, conductor 16, mix water valve solenoid 11, now closed contacts 18 and '19 of the float switch to conductor H connected to the ground side of the source. This causes the washing operation to proceed in mixed or lukewarm water; For a hot water wash she rotates the selector dial," in a clockwise direction until the word "hot" comes within the hollow part of the pointer,-

Fig. 8. This moves the cam 33 until the plunger 36 rests in the depression B and causes the blade 40 to complete connection between the springs 4| and 42 as shown in Fig. 10.

. The valves'controlled by the mix and hot solenoids may be of the general type shown in Patent 2,269,259, and the thermostatically controlled mixing valve supplying mixed water may be of the type shown in Patent 2,310,975;

From this point in the cycle of the operations,

the timer motor continues the clockwise rotation of the shaft l I and its associated cams causing the properly timed operation ofthe mixed current through conductor Bil. contact spring 48,

contacts 48' and III, bus bar DI, the dotted conductor 84 and conductor 10, through the coils of main motor 85 and timer motor 66 to the ground-' ed conductor II of the source of current. The solid conductor 95. Figs. 10 and 11, and the cam I1 and its associated contact springs may be omitted in accordance with the present modification as they will perform no operative function. Theclockwise rotation of the shaft II now carries the plunger 56, the sleeve 30, cams 33 and 3| and selector dial 46 in the clockwise direction of I rotation until the dial 46, and its associated cams water inlet as controlled by the contour of the cam I3, the hot water inlet as controlled by the contour of cam I4, the drain solenoid as controlled by the contour of the cam I5, the various speed changes from low speed washing to high speed extracting and back to rinsing and again to extracting and finally to tumbling as controlled by the shifter solenoid 90 and contacts 9| and 92 and cam I-B until the plunger 56 drops 3i and 33 have been moved back to their normal positions. When the cam 3| returns to its normal position, Fig. 2, contacts 49 and 50 are opened and the washing machine is thus brought to rest at the end of the soak period. The operator returning to the machine starts it on its washing operation by merely moving the selector dial either to the mix or soak position or into the notch 58, Fig. '7 When this happens the cam 33 which as just described was set in posi-' tion B, or hot position is picked up and moved in a clockwise direction back to its normal or A position. As heretofore stated, the shaft II moves step by step throughout the entire cycle.

The last step rotates the cam 3i on the sleeve and the cam I! carried on the shaft II to their normal positions in which the connection between the live side of the source and bus bar 5| is interrupted at contacts 49 and 50 and in which the circuits of the main and timer motors are also interrupted at contacts 63 and 64 controlled by cam II. All the parts thus having been returned to their normal positions, the selector opening the circuit between springs 4| and 42.-

During the washing operation contacts 13 and the hot position, depending upon whether she is expecting to wash woolens, silks, or linens, or isexpecting to wash cottons. All of the operations of the washing machine now proceed through the controlsof cams I3, I4, I5 and I6 in exactly the same manner as was described in con nection with the preferred embodiment of this invention. However, at the end of the cycle of operations the circuits of the main motor 65 and the timer motor 66 are interrupted only at contacts 49 and 5!] controlled by cam 3i, the plunger v5i; having dropped into the notch 58 upon the 14 are opened and closed by cam I4 in exactly 49 and of cam 3| mounted upon sleeve 3ft to which the selector dial 4!; is attached. When this modification is incorporated in my invention the operator rotates the selector dial in a counterclockwise direction until the words mix or soak appear within the hollow part of the pointer. In this position the plunger 56, Fig. 9, drops in to. the notch 59 in shaft I I, the main motor and the timer motor 66 having been started by cure rent flowing from the live side of the source of arrival of that notch under the plunger 56 and the parts movable with the plunger 56 having been moved along with the shaft I I back to normal position.'

The type of washing machine to which my in- Vention has been applied is illustrated in United States patent to J. W. Chamberlin and R. E. Bassett, Jr., Number 2,165,884, of July 11, 1939.

It is understood that the timer and selector switch mechanism has been illustrated as applied to a specific type of automatic washing machine for purposes of illustration and that various modifications in this application may be made.

What I claim is:

1. In a combined selector and timer mechanism, a timer shaft, a timer motor for driving the timer shaft, a plurality of pairs of contacts sequentially operated by the rotation of the timer shaft, a timer dial for manually rotating the timer shaft in advance of the position to which it has been rotated by the timer motor and for indicating its displacement from normal, a selector dial co-axial with the timer dial and having its shaft coaxial with the timer shaft, a plurality of pairs of contacts operated'by the rotation of the selector shaft, one pair'of selector controlled contacts being in the electric circuit ofthe timermotor and all of the contacts controlled thereby, a second pair of selector controlled contacts, and a third pair of selector controlled contacts, and a connection between the timer shaft and the selector shaft for rotating the selector shaft with the timer shaft to force the selector shaft,its associated dial and contacts to their normal position as and when the timer shaft and its associated dial and contacts are returned to their normal position. v

2. In a combined selector and timer mechanism, a timer shaft, a timer motor for driving the timer shaft, a plurality of pairs of'contacts sequentially operated by the rotation of the timer shaft, a timer can for manually rotatingthc by the rotation of the selector shaft, and a. connection between the timer shaft and the selector shaft for rotating the selector shaft with the timer shaft to force the selector shaft and its associated dial and contacts to their normal position as and when the timer shaft and its associted dial and contacts are returned to their normal position.

3. In a combined selector and timer mechanism of the character described, a timer shaft, a timer dial, a selector dial co-axial with the timer dial and a selector shaft co-axial with the timer shaft; a, plurality of pairs of contacts selectively operated by the rotation of the selector shaft, and a connection between the timer shaft and the selector shaft for rotating the selector shaft with the timer shaft to force the selector shaft and is associated dial and contacts to their normal position as and when the timer shaft is returned to normal position.

- WALLACE F. OLIVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,176,195 Bassett Oct. 17, 1939 2,155,271 Jones Apr. 18, 1939 2,298,095 Dunham Oct. 6, 1942 2,225,407 Bassett Dec. 17, 1940 2,208,902 Horstmann July 23, 1940 2,168,477 Jeffrey Aug. 15, 1939 2,288,141 Oliver June 30, 1942 2,173,564 Osuch Sept. 19, 1 939 2,346,259 Hutchings Apr. 11, 1944 

